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Deputy Minister of International Development appearance before the standing committee on public accounts – issue notes

April 20, 2023
Published: December 17, 2024

Table of Contents

Overview

1. Scenario Note
2. Opening Remarks
3. Member Biographies
4. Summary of proposals (highlighting/focus on development)

Performance

5. GAC’s results framework
6. Audit report: International Assistance in Support of Gender Equality
7. Audit management action plan
8. Audit media Analysis of opposition/media
9. Grants and Contributions Transformation

Hot Issues

10. Canada’s International Assistance Response to COVID-19
11. WHO Sexual Misconduct

Mandate

12. Increasing Canada’s International Development Assistance Every Year Towards 2030
13. Responses to the Budget narrative on cuts to the IAE
14. Feminist International Assistance Policy
15. Education in Conflict and Crisis
16. Management of International Development Assistance for Greater Effectiveness, Transparency and Accountability
17. The Gender Equality Focus behind Canada’s International Assistance Investments
18. Reducing the Unequal Distribution of Paid and Unpaid Care Work
19. Mandate Commitment to Increase Funding to Feminist Leaders and Organizations

Other Programming and Policy, general

20. Canadian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
21. Global Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
22. Humanitarian Response 2023
23. Official Development Assistance (ODA) Levels

Russian Invasion of Ukraine

24. Situation Brief - Ukraine
25. Canada’s Humanitarian Response
26. Impact on Global Food Security
27. How Canada’s Development Assistance is Supporting Emerging Needs
28. Canada’s Support for Women and Girls
29. Canadian Support to Ukraine Cheat Sheet

Report 4 - international assistance in support of gender equality of the auditor general of canada to the parliament of canada

Meeting Scenario

• Your in-person, two-hour appearance begins at 3:30 p.m.
• The following officials are also accompanying you in-person during the appearance:

• Patricia Peña, Assistant Deputy Minister, Partnerships for Development Innovation
• Other name TBC

Committee Context

• When studying the reports of the Auditor General of Canada, the Committee typically invites to appear as witnesses the Auditor General of Canada and the Accounting Officer of the audited departments or agencies.
• The meeting will begin with the Auditor General’s opening remarks providing a summary of Report 4.
• Then, you will be asked to deliver your opening remarks of 5 minutes.
• After your opening remarks, the committee will move to rounds of questions. A two-hour‑ appearance will allow for two complete rounds as follows:

First Round

• Conservative (6 minutes)
• Liberal (6 minutes)
• Bloc Québécois (6 minutes)
• NDP (6 minutes)

Second Round

• Conservative (5 minutes)
• Liberal (5 minutes)
• Bloc Québécois (two and a half (2.5) minutes)
• NDP (two and a half (2.5) minutes)
• Conservative (5 minutes)
• Liberal (5 minutes)

Subsequent rounds of questioning will follow the order and timing of the second round.

Relevant Motion

The following motions adopted by the Committee on December 16, 2021:

That all organizations that have been subject to a performance audit or a special examination by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada provide a detailed action plan to address the audit recommendations which have been agreed to - including specific actions, timelines for their completion and responsible individuals - to the committee and the Office of the Auditor General of Canada within six months of the audit being tabled in the House of Commons;

That organizations that are invited to appear before the committee to discuss the findings of an audit should provide an action plan to the committee no later than 48 hours prior to the hearing;

That action plans and progress reports received by the committee be published on the committee’s website.

Committee Membership & Interests

• The mandate of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts of the House of Commons is to review and report on the Public Accounts of Canada and all reports of the Auditor General of Canada.
• The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maninder Sidhu, sits on the Committee.
• On the Opposition, MP Garnett Genuis, Conservative Critic for International Development is a Committee member.
• For further information on committee membership, please see the committee bios included in this briefing binder.
• At time of writing, the topic of the Auditor General Report 4 on International Assistance in Support of Gender Equality has not been raised in the House Chamber during Question Period.

Opening Remarks

Christopher MacLennan

Deputy Minister of International Development

¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ

House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Office of the Auditor General – Report 4 – International Assistance in Support of Gender Equality – ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ

April 20, 2023

Good afternoon Mr. Chair.

Let me begin by thanking this committee for the invitation to appear today to speak on this report. I am pleased to be joined by Patricia Pena, Assistant Deputy Minister for Partnerships for Development Innovation, who will be leading the department’s response to the report and Natalie Lalonde, Chief Audit Executive is also with us in the room. First, I would like to acknowledge the work carried out by The Office of the Auditor General, and thank them for this report. The report highlighted the value of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, but also noted the urgent need for Global Affairs to improve its monitoring and reporting on the results of our work.

I would like to assure the Committee how seriously Global Affairs takes the findings in this report. Canada’s development assistance programming is making a tangible contribution to improving the lives of women and girls from reducing maternal and child mortality to supporting the completion of primary education to reducing gender-based violence to supporting women’s economic empowerment. These efforts matter.

It is for this reason that we have to redouble our efforts to ensure that we have the effective information management and outcome measurement systems in place to demonstrate to Canadians the value of our investments.

Let me begin by touching on how we are already addressing the recommendations made in the report:

On the first recommendation to invest in GAC’s information management system and practices, I have tasked the department to immediately put in place interim measures for a single Project Documents Database as a centralized repository available to both our missions abroad and at headquarters. At the same time, the department will integrate the findings from this report into our ongoing overhaul of our grants and contributions management system. This major transformation project launched last year will allow GAC to automate and streamline our business processes and systems to give us better information for decision-making and improve the impact of Canada’s international assistance.

In response to the second recommendation to measure and report on results of the FIAP policy objectives, we recognize that we must find a better way to aggregate and communicate our results. With more than 1,500 international assistance projects underway at any given time, involving partners from Canada and globally, we have a large amount of data and information to connect to the overall objectives of the Feminist International Assistance Policy.

Under Patricia’s leadership, the department will undertake a complete review of our current approach to gathering and disseminating the outcomes of our work and will oversee the strengthening of our corporate tools, updating governance mechanisms and development of options to better report on the impacts of our development assistance programming.

The third recommendation looks at identity factors beyond gender and age in project-level equality assessments. ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is committed to improving how we ensure that every development project receives a full gender-based analysis, including questions of intersectionality as a main principle of its feminist approach to international assistance. The department will immediately launch a review of the changes made in 2020 to identify where further adjustments are needed in terms of management guidance, tools and training.

Conclusion

In our international assistance work, Canada has been a leader in advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls for several decades, working with partners across the globe to support the development of more inclusive communities and to achieve poverty reduction.

I welcome the work of this committee and look forward to continued collaboration with the Auditor General on implementing the recommendations of the report. Thank you.

Master Overview of the Committee

Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP)

Mandate of the Committee

When the Speaker tables a report by the Auditor General in the House of Commons, it is automatically referred to the Public Accounts Committee. The Committee selects the chapters of the report it wants to study and calls the Auditor General and senior public servants from the audited organizations to appear before it to respond to the Office of the Auditor General’s findings. The Committee also reviews the federal government’s consolidated financial statements – the Public Accounts of Canada – and examines financial and/or accounting shortcomings raised by the Auditor General. At the conclusion of a study, the Committee may present a report to the House of Commons that includes recommendations to the government for improvements in administrative and financial practices and controls of federal departments and agencies.

Government policy, and the extent to which policy objectives are achieved, are generally not examined by the Public Accounts Committee. Instead, the Committee focuses on government administration – the economy and efficiency of program delivery as well as the adherence to government policies, directives and standards. The Committee seeks to hold the government to account for effective public administration and due regard for public funds.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3) of the House of Commons, the mandate of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts is to review and report on:

• The Public Accounts of Canada;
• All reports of the Auditor General of Canada;
• The Office of the Auditor General’s Departmental Plan and Departmental Results Report; and,
• Any other matter that the House of Commons shall, from time to time, refer to the Committee.

The Committee also reviews:

• The federal government’s consolidated financial statements;
• The Public Accounts of Canada;
• Makes recommendations to the government for improvements in spending practices;
• Considers the Estimates of the Office of the Auditor General.

Other Responsibilities:

• The economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government administration;
• The quality of administrative practices in the delivery of federal programs; and,
• Government’s accountability to Parliament with regard to federal spending.

Committee Members

Bios of the Committee Members

John Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest)

Conservative

Chair

• Elected as MP for New Brunswick Southwest in 2011, he was then defeated in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
• Currently also serves as a Member of the Liaison Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
• Previously served on many committees, including PACP for a brief time in 2013
• Prior to his election, M. Williamson occupied different positions. He was an editorial writer for the National Post from 1998 to 2001, then joined the Canadian Taxpayers Federation until 2008. In 2009, he was hired by Stephen Harper as director of communications in the PMO.

Jean Yip (Scarborough - Agincourt)

Liberal

First Vice-Chair

• Elected as MP for Scarborough—Agincourt in a by-election on December 11, 2017, and re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
• Has served on Public Accounts (since 2018), as well as Government Operations and Canada-China committees in the past.
• Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
• Before her election, Ms. Yip was an insurance underwriter and constituency assistant.

Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Terrebonne)

Bloc Québécois

Second Vice-Chair

• Elected as MP for Terrebonne in the 2021 federal election.
• BQ Critic for Public Accounts; Pandemic Programs; and Federal Economic Development Agencies.
• Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
• Worked at the European Investment Bank and at PWC London.
• Return to Quebec in 2017 to pursue a career in the Quebec business world.

Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan)

Conservative

• Elected as MP for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan in 2015, re-elected ion 2019 and 2021
• Conservative Shadow Minister for International Development
• Also serves on the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
• Served on multiple standing committees in the past, including Citizenship and Immigration, Canada-China Relations and Scrutiny of Regulations
• Prior to his election, Mr. Genuis was an assistant to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and adviser on the staff of former minister Rona Ambrose.

Michael Kram (Regina—Wascana)

Conservative

• Elected as MP for Regina—Wascana in 2019, and re-elected in 2021.
• Served as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology, as well as a Member of the standing committees on Transpart, Infrastration and Communities and International Trade
• Prior to his election, Mr. Kram worked for 20 years in the information technology sector, including a number of contract positions with the Department of National Defence.

Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West)

Conservative

• Elected as the Member of Parliament in 2015 for Edmonton West, re-elected in 2019 and 2021
• Also serves as Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates
• Former Conservative Shadow Minister for Treasury Board
• Previously served on the COVID-19 Pandemic committee as well as the Subcomittee on Agenda and Procedure of OGGO in 2020
• Before his election in 2015, Mr. McCauley was a hospitality executive specialized in managing hotels and convention centres
• He has a graduate of BCIT in the Hospitality Management program
• He has a history of advocacy for seniors and veterans

Blake Desjarlais (Edmonton Greisbach)

NDP

• Elected as MP for Edmonton Greisbach in 2021.
• NDP Critic for Treasury Board; Diversity and Inclusion; Youth; Sport; and Post-secondary Education.
• Also a member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
• First openly Two-Spirit person to be an MP, and Alberta’s only Indigenous Member of Parliament.

Valerie Bradford (Kitchener South – Hespeler)

Liberal

• Elected as MP for Kitchener South – Hespeler in 2021.
• Also sits on the Science and Research committee and the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Science and Research
• Director of the Canada-Africa Association
• Prior to her election, Ms. Bradford worked as an economic development professional for the City of Kitchener.

Maninder Sidhu (Brampton East)

Liberal

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

• Elected as MP for Brampton East in 2019, and re-elected in 2021.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Also sits on the Standing Committee on Industry and technology and the Special Committee on Afghanistan
• Has served on several committees in the past, including Natural resources, Citizenship and Immigration and Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
• Prior to his election, Mr. Sidhu was an entrepreneur (customs brokerage business) and international trade consultant.

Peter Fragiskatos (London North Centre)

Liberal

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue

• Elected as MP for London North Centre in 2015, and re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
• Serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue.
• Has served on the Finance, Canada-China, Human Resources, Public Safety, and Foreign Affairs committees in the past.
• Served as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).
• Prior to his election, Mr. Fragiskatos was a political science professor at Huron University College and King’s University College, as well as a frequent media commentator on international issues.

Brenda Shanahan (Châteauguay—Lacolle)

Liberal

• Elected as MP for Châteauguay—Lacolle in 2015, and re-elected in 2019 & 2021.
• Caucus Chair of the Liberal Party
• Has served on Public Accounts (2016-2018), as well as Ethics, Government Operations, and MAID committees in the past.
• Has served as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).
• Prior to her election, Ms. Shanahan was a banker and social worker, who has also been involved in a number of organizations such as Amnesty International and the Canadian Federation of University Women.

2023-24 Main Estimates Year-Over-Year Changes - Net Increase of $107.6M

The Department’s total funding requested in the 2023-24 Main Estimates is $7.6B, which represents a net increase of $107.6M over the 2022-23 Main Estimates of $7.5B.

Funding increases include:

Funding to Implement the Feminist International Assistance Agenda - $76.8M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a net increase of $76.8M compared to the 2022-23 Main Estimates to implement the Feminist International Assistance Agenda.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ has funding of $901.5M in 2023-24 compared to $824.7M in 2022-23 (increase of $76.8M), to further the implementation of the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP). The funding is broken down as follow:
• $587.3M of International Assistance Envelope (IAE) resources to support initiatives in the following four priority areas, aligned with the FIAP and Canada’s commitments:
• regularize humanitarian assistance and apply gender-responsive approach to humanitarian action;
• breakdown barriers to girls, adolescent girls and women's empowerment;
• project Canadian leadership and deploy Canadian expertise; and
• augment Canada's support to Sub-Saharan Africa.
• $314.2M to support the implementation of Innovative Financing Programs composed of the International Assistance Innovation Program (IAIP) and the Sovereign Loans Program (SLP). Initiatives pursued under these programs will support innovative approaches and partnerships, including with the private and public sectors.
• Budget 2018 provided $2.0B over five years from existing unallocated IAE resources to accelerate the impact of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy. The overall approach to deploying these incremental resources was to distribute the funding through four priority areas aligned with the Feminist International Assistance Policy and ministerial mandate letter commitments.
• Budget 2018 also allocated $1.5B over five years for the creation of two Innovative Finance programs: The International Assistance Innovation Program (IAIP) and the Sovereign Loans Program (SLP).

Funding for Canada’s Engagement in United Nations Peace Operations and Peacebuilding - $32.9M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $32.9M related to funding to support Canada’s Engagement in United Nations Peace Operations and Peacebuilding.
• At the December 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial, hosted by the Republic of Korea, the Minister of National Defence announced increasing funding to the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund and providing it on a multi-year basis ($70.0M over 3 years).
• The Economic and Fiscal Update 2021 included $179.7M over five years for ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ, including $30.0M over three years from existing resources, to renew Canada’s engagement and advance Canadian initiatives to make peace operations and peacebuilding more effective and inclusive. 
• Through this initiative, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ will:
• Improve policies, practices and effectiveness of multilateral and global organizations;
• Enhance Canadian leadership and constructive engagement on issues of peace and security, including human rights, democracy and inclusion;
• Improve inclusive and gender-responsive prevention of violent conflict, response to crisis, and peacebuilding in fragile and conflict-affected states and situations where PSOPs engages; and
• Enhance inclusive and gender-responsive multilateral prevention, mitigation and response to violent conflict, threats, insecurity and fragility in the world.

Transfers from Other Government Departments to Provide Support to Departmental - $32.3M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $32.3M related to transfers from other government departments to provide support to departmental staff located at missions abroad.
• As part of the memorandum of understanding with other government departments, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is a common service provider for the Government of Canada operations abroad and receives or returns funds for the adjusted cost of operations resulting from staff being posted at Canadian missions abroad by other government departments.
• Transfers to ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ are to cover the common services costs for new staff posted abroad to support Canada’s network, including those related to: Foreign Services Directives and relocation, real property, security and all the common services costs incurred at missions abroad to support their staff.

Funding to Help Developing Countries to Address the Impact of Climate Change - $23.1M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a net increase of $23.1M compared to the 2022-23 Main Estimates for the funding to help developing countries to address the impact of climate change.
• The incremental resources support climate adaptation efforts and nature-based solutions in low-income countries, while accelerating the global transition beyond coal.
• In June 2021, the Prime Minister announced a doubling of Canada’s climate finance, from $2.7B to $5.3B over the next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26 which includes increased funding for adaptation and biodiversity.
• Four priority thematic areas were identified for the climate finance funding: 1) Clean Energy Transition and Coal Phase-out; 2) Nature-based Solutions and with biodiversity co-benefits; 3) Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems; and, 4) Climate Governance to focus funding in areas of greatest need and where Canada can be the most effective while reflecting lessons learned including opportunities for scale-up based on the previous commitment.

Funding for Inflation on Overseas Operating Costs - $21.4M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $21.4M (Non-ODA portion) related to inflation on overseas operating costs.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ presents a situation unique to government in terms of inflation compensation requirements. As the common service provider for the Canadian Government abroad, the Department expends resources outside of Canada that are subject to foreign inflation rates which can vary significantly from Canadian domestic rates. Excess foreign inflation can quickly erode the purchasing power of mission budgets.
• Like domestic departments, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is expected to absorb the Canadian rate of inflation. Since 1986-87, the Department has sought budgetary compensation for the effects of foreign inflation in excess of Canadian rate of inflation and has been compensated annually through its Annual Reference Level Update submission.

Funding for Reinforcing and Modernization Core Consular Capacity to Assist Canadians Abroad - $16.8M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $16.8M related to funding to reinforce and modernize core consular capacity to assist Canadians abroad.
• Budget 2022 announced a funding decision in the amount of $101.4M over 6 years and $18.5M ongoing, starting in 2022-23, to support ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ Consular and Emergency Management programs.
• The funding will allow the Consular Program to adapt and modernize service delivery in an evolving international landscape, to leverage consular diplomacy and engage constructively with domestic and international stakeholders to advocate for a number of issues affecting Canadians. It will also allow the Program to improve prevention efforts to increase awareness of consular services with continued emphasis on client-focused services to better serve Canadians, contributing to their safety and security.  

Funding for Locally Engaged Staff Salaries and Related Benefits Incurred at Missions Abroad - $16.6M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $16.6M (Non-ODA portion) related to the revisions of locally engaged staff salaries and related benefits at missions abroad.
• To ensure that ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ abides by the employment laws abroad and provides salary and benefit increases that are in line with the local economy so as to keep compensation comparable to that of local employers.
• The adjustment includes all locally engaged staff that provide services to ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ and several other government departments.

Funding for Payments, in Respect of Pension, Insurance and Social Security Programs or Other Arrangements for Employees Locally Engaged Outside of Canada - $10.7M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $10.7M compared to the 2022-23 Main Estimates for payments, in respect of pension, insurance and social security programs or other arrangements for employees locally engaged outside of Canada.
• The department’s budget (Vote 15) goes from $91.8M to $102.5M for fiscal year 2023-24.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ manages Locally Engaged Staff Pension, Insurance and Social Security Program. The Program consists of pension and insurance plans and affiliation with local social security.
• Locally Engaged Staff pension and insurance plans are established when required by local law; are comparable to other employers within each country. The Government of Canada participates in local social security systems unless there is a good reason not to.
• The Program was transferred to ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ from Treasury Board Secretariat effective January 1, 2012, at an annual base funding level of $50.8M. However, annual costs, as evidenced by actual expenditures both prior and subsequent to the transfer, have consistently exceeded the base funding level.

Funding For Canada’s Participation in World Osaka 2025 - $10.7M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $10.7M related to funding to support Canada's Participation at World Expo Osaka 2025.
• Budget 2022 announced funding of $54.4M over four years.
• Through this initiative, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ will organize and deliver Canada’s participation at Expo 2025 Osaka, to ensure alignment with Canada’s Foreign Policy and upcoming Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Funding for Compensation for EX Group - $9.3M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $9.3M compared to the 2022-23 Main Estimates for compensation related to the impact of the approval of pay increases for executives and senior leaders.

Funding for Safe Third Agreement Modernization - $8.7M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $8.7M related to funding to support the Safe Third Country Agreement Modernization.
• [REDACTED]With this funding, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ’s Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program will deliver on joint efforts to address irregular migration and forced displacement in the Americas.

Funding for the Administration of Trade Controls - $7.0M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $7.0M related to funding to support Trade Controls.
• Budget 2021 announced funding of $38.2M over 5 years and $7.9M ongoing thereafter.
• Through this initiative, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ will provide the additional resources required to deliver Canada’s trade controls regime in four areas: 1) new tariff rate quotas under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement; 2) steel and aluminum import monitoring programs; 3) new arms control export requirements agreed to as part of Canada’s accession to the Arms Trade Treaty; and 4) export and import control requirements related to the new prohibition of certain firearms. The initiative will enable the effective and efficient administration of trade controls that are critical to the Canadian economy. 

Funding for CanExport – Intellectual Property Support - $6.9M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $6.9M related to funding to support Canadian businesses in securing their intellectual property in foreign markets.
• The CanExport program supports increased and more diverse trade and investment to raise the standard of living for all Canadians and enable Canadian businesses to grow internationally; to create economic opportunities; help Canadian exporters be successful in their business development efforts; and facilitate, expand or retain foreign direct investment.
• Budget 2022 announced an increase of $35.0M over five years for the CanExport Program as part of an initiative to invest in and protect Canada’s Intellectual Property.
• The funding will help increase the percentage of Canadian organizations having secured their Intellectual Property in foreign markets, which will contribute to the diversification of their export markets.

Strengthening Canada’s Capacity for a Global China - $6.7M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $6.7M related to funding to support the creation of the Centre of China Policy Research and Coherence.
• The Budget 2022 announced the initial funding of $32.5M over five years and $6.9M ongoing.
• The funding is for enhancing Canada’s capacity to sustainably advance and defend our interests related to China’s growing global influence. This proposal pivots Canada’s China capacity from a previously ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ / bilateral-focused frame to a whole-of-government frame.  

Adjustment Related to the Inflation on Foreign Service Allowances - $4.2M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $4.2M (Non-ODA portion) related to inflation on foreign service allowances.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ provides the foreign service allowances to Government of Canada employees who are serving abroad as per the Foreign Service Directives which ensure that the terms and conditions of employment for employees serving abroad are current.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ pays foreign service allowances to its own overseas staff and to employees from over ten other government departments with whom there is a memorandum of understanding.

Statutory Forecasts - Contributions to Employee Benefits Plans - $4.2M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $4.2M related to the contributions to employee benefits plans (EBP).
• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include $126.9M for contributions to employee benefits plans compared to $122.7M in 2022-23 Main Estimates.
• The statutory item "employee benefit plans" (EBP) includes costs to the government for the employer's matching contributions and payments to the Public Service Superannuation Plan, the Canada and the Quebec Pension Plans, Death Benefits, and the Employment Insurance accounts.

Funding for Office of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise - $3.2M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $3.2M to provide additional resources to support the mandate of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE).
• Budget 2021 announced funding of $16.2M over 5 years and $3.3M ongoing thereafter.
• The funding will enable the office of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) to expand its operating budget and personnel, relocate to new offices, and complete the development and implementation of an electronic case and customer relations management system (eCRM) to enable the CORE to securely and effectively capture and track client engagement, case management and monitoring of recommendations.

Funding for Establishing a Ukraine Action Team - $2.9M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $2.9M related to funding for Establishing a Ukraine Action Team.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ requested new funding of $7.8M over three years to establish an integrated Ukraine Strategic Action Team to support Canada’s core foreign policy, peace, and security objectives in Ukraine.
• This funding is to implement the following activities.  
• To support Canada’s engagement in Ukraine, GAC established an integrated Ukraine Strategic Action Team;
• Efforts under the Ukraine Strategic Action Team aims to enhance strategic direction, support coordination, and strengthen coherence in Canada’s whole-of-government engagement while increasing visibility for investments in Ukraine;  
• Additional operational capacity in human resources is needed to scale up the focus on Ukraine, as Canada’s current footprint is relatively modest in comparison with like-minded partners.  

Funding for Rapid Response Mechanism Initiative - $2.6M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $2.6M related to funding to support renewing and expanding the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism.
• Budget 2022 announced $13.4M over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $2.8M ongoing to renew and expand the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism.
• The increased funding will strengthen Canada’s efforts to monitor foreign interference and coordinate information exchange on threats to democracy, such as disinformation, amongst G7 partners.

Funding for Foreign Cyber Operations to Protect Critical Infrastructure - $1.9M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $1.9M related to funding to support Foreign Cyber Operations to Protect Critical Infrastructure.
• Budget 2022 allocated $875.2M over five years to the Communications Security Establishment beginning in 2022-23, and $238.2M ongoing, for additional measures to address the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
• Through this initiative, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ will be funded to carry out its mandated role in ensuring that the government’s foreign cyber operations align with Canada’s foreign policy priorities, reflect Canadian international interests, comply with our international legal obligations, and respect global cyber norms, all while maintaining a robust governance framework with the Communications Security Establishment and supporting the work of security and intelligence review bodies. This capacity will allow ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ to meet current and expanding operational demands from the Communications Security Establishment. 

Funding for Special Envoy on Combatting Antisemitism - $0.5M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $0.5M to support the mandate of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.
• Budget 2022 announced initial funding of $5.6M over 5 years and $1.2M ongoing thereafter.
• The Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism (Special Envoy) was established as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to combat antisemitism, hatred and racism, and to promote and defend democracy, pluralism, inclusion and human rights.

Funding for Building Canada’s Research Capacity - $0.5M

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include an increase of $0.5M related to funding to support the establishment of the new Research Security Unit.
• Budget 2022 allocated $2.2M from 2022-23 to 2026-27 and $0.5M on an ongoing basis to ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ for the establishment of the new Research Security Unit.
• The new Research Security team would support ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ involvement in the interdepartmental effort to implement the Guidelines by contributing its expertise and applying its legislated authorities related primarily to foreign policy and reputational risks for Canada.

Funding decreases include:

Funding from the Strategic Priorities Fund - ($97.0M)

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a decrease of $97.0M related to International Assistance funding to replenish the Strategic Priority Fund.
• [REDACTED]Of this amount:
  • $25.0M over two years was allocated CARE (unpaid and paid work care).
  • $50.0M was transferred in 2021-22 to the Department of Finance via a frozen allotment at year-end for the International Monetary Fund’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust.
  • $15.0M was to provide support to COVAX Manufacturing Task Force partners, specifically the establishment of the South Africa Technology Transfer Hub.
  • $25.0M was available to address other emerging priorities.

Funding for Currency Exchange Fluctuations on Expenditures at Missions Abroad - ($23.0M)

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a decrease of $23.0M (Non-ODA portion) related to the impact of foreign currency fluctuations incurred on expenditures at missions abroad.
• To ensure that ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ maintains its purchasing power, and is not positively or negatively impacted by foreign exchange rate fluctuations, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ’s budget is adjusted for currency fluctuations on an annual basis.
• The items that are impacted by currency fluctuations include:
  • Locally engaged staff (LES) salaries; and
  • Operating expenditures at missions abroad, including those managed at headquarters.

The Softwood Lumber Funding - ($19.7M)

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a decrease of $19.7M related to the sunset of the Softwood Lumber funding.
• Budget 2018 has announced $191.0M over five years (from 2018-19 to 2022-23) to ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ and Natural Resources Canada to support softwood lumber jobs, including through litigation under the World Trade Organization and the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) (previously North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)) dispute settlement mechanisms.
• The requested funding allowed ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ to negotiate a new Softwood Lumber Agreement with the United States; administer and implement any managed trade agreement; defend Canadian softwood interests during any trade disputes; and issue permits for exports to the United States. This amount included a $90.5M (over five years) Special Purpose Allotment entitled “Softwood Lumber Legal and Litigation Costs” for any legal and litigation costs associated with the management of the file.
• Through this initiative, the Government of Canada aimed to secure a softwood lumber managed trade agreement which brings predictability and stability to the Canadian forest industry. In addition, it looked to vigorously defend Canadian interests in any trade disputes, including under the CUSMA and before the World Trade Organization.

Funding for the Migrant Smuggling Strategy- ($9.1M)

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a decrease of $9.1M related to the sunset of the funding to support the Migrant Smuggling Prevention Strategy.
• Budget 2018 announced an investment of $91.6M over five years (starting in 2018-19) to renew and expand Canada’s coordinated effort across law enforcement, intelligence, border protection and diplomatic spheres through ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, to identify and respond to threats associated with migrant smuggling ventures targeting Canada and across multiple modes of transportation and geographic locales.
• This funding allowed ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ to support the Migrant Smuggling Prevention Strategy (MSPS) which was a prevention policy aimed at identifying and disrupting mass marine migrant smuggling ventures before they launch, by assisting source and transit countries to take preventative action within their respective jurisdictions, thereby avoiding the significant implications of arrival in Canada.

Adjustment Related to the Cost of Assessed Contributions - ($6.5M)

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a net decrease of $6.5M (Non-ODA portion) related to the cost of assessed contributions due to changes in the international organizations’ budget, changes to the Canada’s rate of assessment and the impact of currency fluctuations resulting from the payment of the contributions in foreign currencies.
• Assessed contributions are treaty-based membership fees for international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization.
• On behalf of the Government of Canada, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ pays annual assessments to 59 international organizations including 12 that relate to United Nations peacekeeping operations.
• The assessments vary each year due to fluctuating foreign currency rates (most assessments are in USD or Euro), changes to the organizations’ budgets, and adjustments to Canada’s rate of assessment.

Other Small Items - ($37.0M)

• The 2023-24 Main Estimates include a net decrease of $37.0M related to adjustments and fluctuations in the funding profile of small items.

GAC’s Results Framework

• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ has a robust and well-known results methodology to manage its international assistance.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ acknowledges the need to better communicate progress on Feminist International Assistance Policy objectives.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is currently modernizing the way international assistance is managed and delivered to make it more responsive, efficient, transparent and accountable.

Supplementary Messages

• GAC remains committed to furthering its intersectional feminist and human rights-based approach committed in the Feminist International Assistance Policy and will continue to strengthen its managing for results methodology and to exchange best practices with partners.
• Project-level results information is the foundation for program- and Department-level results reporting. The findings and recommendations of the OAG Report confirmed existing challenges in communicating results at these higher levels.
• We are committed to further strengthening how the Department manages for results at different organizational levels for the purposes of strategic decision-making, as well as learning and reporting on international assistance results.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is transforming how the Department’s manages grants and contributions by automating and streamlining its business processes and systems, including those related to results information.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• GAC currently manages over 1,500 projects in international assistance which have their own indicators designed by implementing organizations
• Reviews of comparable donors by the OECD-DAC find similar challenges of: meeting corporate communication and performance requirements, and assessing how interventions contribute to development results.

Background

At the project level, GAC has a robust results methodology, extensive guidance and strong project management capacity. However, improvements are needed to better report on results at the program and departmental levels, where aggregated data and accompanying analysis are needed.

Through the FIAP, the Department committed to track and communicate the implementation and results of the policy to Canadians, using a suite of 24 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) largely derived from policy language in the FIAP.

The Department reports to Parliament and Canadians using KPI data to provide an illustrative snapshot of GAC’s international assistance, but these KPIs were not designed to reflect the entire breadth of programming. They mostly capture project output information (essentially “activities completed”), which is easier to aggregate to higher organizational levels. Capturing and communicating the longer-term and more impactful outcomes and doing so in an elevated manner that brings together in a logical and useful way outcomes for the entire international assistance portfolio is the weakness identified in the audit. It also concluded GAC does not have a report that captures these types of results across the entire international assistance portfolio.

Reporting at program and departmental levels is particularly challenging: large volume of disparate project results information needing to be distilled into a coherent results story, and a lack of a centralized data system to support that work. To respond to these challenges, the Department has been implementing a new practical results-focused methodology linking project to program to departmental-level priorities, and is developing a new results information system. These take time and significant resourcing, but once in place, GAC will be better equipped to report on outcomes at the policy level.

OAG Report - Implementation of the Feminist International Assistance Policy

The Audit report: International Assistance in Support of Gender Equality can be found in .

Management Response and Action Plan

Media Analysis

Following the release of the report by the Auditor General that criticized ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ for serious deficiencies in how the department tracks programs that are a part of the federal government’s feminist international assistance policy, there was moderate domestic coverage, mainly on the day the report was released, March 27, 2023, and the following day. Social media coverage was low, and all of the coverage was factual and negative in tone.

The articles and monitored social media commentary largely focused on the fact that the department cannot conclusively state whether its feminist assistance programs have been successful in improving gender equity due to poor information management processes (). In particular, various articles noted that: annual reports to Parliament only showed short-term results and for only about half of funded projects; GAC did not meet two out of three spending commitments, with shortfalls in sub-Saharan Africa; GAC did not track data about intersectional identity; key documents have been lost when employees left the department; and often there was little follow-up to see if projects meaningfully improved people’s lives as they were intended to. Several articles noted a particular example cited in the report: the department tracked the completion of a washroom construction project intended to increase girls’ school attendance but did not collect attendance data to see if it had the intended effect (). Several articles also repeated the Auditor General’s claims that the department diverted funds from these aid projects to address the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as Minister Sajjan’s subsequent pushback on this assertion. Several articles also noted that Minister Sajjan accepted the findings of the report overall and agreed that information management needs to improve (). Articles in and noted criticism from opposition MPs, quoting Conservative development critic Garnett Genuis calling Minister Sajjan’s comments about personally visiting international development projects to evaluate their progress “crazy” and not equivalent to objective governmental analysis; and citing NDP development critic Heather McPherson’s demands that the government live up to its promises to women and girls rather than pretending to defend their rights.

Some articles pointed the finger at a lack of interest among GAC’s upper management when it comes to tracking these projects and noted that the Office of the Auditor General had difficulty obtaining the documents it needed from the department to proceed with the audit (). Several articles also noted that these issues with information management regarding development projects were also flagged in an internal audit in 2021 () (). An article in argued that these issues fit a larger pattern in the current government of not properly tracking the projects on which it spends money.

On the other hand, made note of the report’s comments that Canada’s policy is unique in the world and that the countries that have benefitted the most since its implementation in 2017 are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. added that the report did praise the department for successfully designing projects through an equity lens. Several social media comments from monitored stakeholders took care to note that the issue is not with the feminist international policy itself, but rather with the way in which it is monitored and evaluated.

A couple of articles reported that aid groups were disappointed that there was no new funding in the 2023 budget, announced the day after the Auditor General’s report, for supporting and developing the feminist international assistance policy and international development projects in general () ().

Grants and Contributions Transformation

• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is transforming the way we manage grants and contributions, from end to end.
• Our five-year work plan includes modernizing our processes, our technology, our people and culture.
• We are re-thinking our approach to information and financial management, risk, results, and how we work with partners – to improve the impact and effectiveness of Canada’s international assistance.

Supplementary Messages

• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ has developed a five-year work plan on transformation that already addresses some of the issues raised in the Audit.
• As part of the long-term solution, our new project management system will collect and automatically store all information (no longer through stand-alone documents that need to be uploaded and tracked) related to projects for all grants and contributions in one place.
• This will ensure that all information in our project management system is up to date and easily accessible to all staff members, in real time.
• Gs&Cs Transformation initiative will include a new digital system for collecting results information that will allow us to collect, aggregate, analyse and report on indicator information in better ways. This will facilitate better decision-making to ensure we are delivering on our policy objectives.

Background

Gs&Cs Transformation is a once in a generation, enterprise-wide reform effort to rethink and enhance how the Department manages the entirety of its grants and contributions.

This initiative is in direct response to one of the Minister’s mandate letter commitments: “Improve the way we manage and deliver international development assistance to ensure greater responsiveness, effectiveness, transparency and accountability”. This commitment is also echoed in the Feminist International Assistance Policy. “We will streamline and accelerate our funding and reporting procedures to reduce the administrative burden on our funding recipients. This will ensure that our assistance is more responsive, more transparent and more predictable.”

Over the coming quarter, Gs&Cs Transformation will be focused on implementation of high priority IT projects (Risk Management Component, Financial Management Component, Results-based Management Component, Project Management Component, and partner engagement) which will make up the core of the project management system.

The Gs&Cs Transformation will address recommendations in the 2023 OAG report on FIAP, namely by (1) digitally store project information so that document management is no longer a challenge, (2) conduct a review of our training curriculum, (3) digitally collect results in our project management system in order to easily search, aggregate and analyse results to better inform decision-making.

Canada’s International Assistance Response to COVID-19

• Canada helped lead a robust international COVID-19 response. The pandemic has evolved, yet COVID-19 is still a threat.
• Canadaremains committed to strengthening health systems and pandemic preparedness in low- and lower-middle income countries as part of an inclusive and sustainable recovery.
• Over 2023, Canada will continue to work with global partners to support vaccine delivery, reinforce health systems and strengthen local vaccine manufacturing.

Supplementary Messages

• Canada’s COVID response and recovery focuses on the world’s poorest and most marginalized, and considers the differentiated needs of women and girls.
• Over 2023, Canada will continue to work with ACT-Accelerator partners to reinforce health systems and integrate COVID-19 response into routine health care, including through Canada’s signature CA$275M Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE).
• Canada has delivered the equivalent of over 196M vaccines to date, a significant contribution that helped meet country demand for vaccines. Where country requests materialize over 2023 and supply is available, Canada will continue to donate doses primarily through the COVAX Facility.

Update

• Since February 11, 2020, the Government of Canada has mobilized over $3.5B in international assistance to the global response to COVID-19.
• On January 13, 2023, Canada increased the CanGIVE initiative to $275M. CanGIVE was originally launched in June 2022 to support 12 countries in their efforts to enhance vaccine roll-out, increase vaccine confidence among high-risk groups, support local vaccine production and strengthen health systems.
• Canada committed to donating the equivalent of 200M doses by the end of 2022. To date, Canada has donated the equivalent of over 196M doses, comprised of doses deemed surplus from Canada’s domestic procurements, as well as financial contributions (dose equivalents).

Supporting Facts and Figures

Canada’s Commitment for COVID-19 Response

Canada’s Financial Allocations to the ACT-Accelerator by Pillar

Canada’s Dose Donation Commitments to COVAX

*Note that the total figure includes Finance Canada’s $107M contribution to the IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Fund (PRGT)

**Includes doses donated to COVAX and bilaterally

***100.88M calculated using 2021 G7 approved methodology of $6USD a dose, and 49.86M calculatedusing 2022 OECD approved methodology of $6.72USD a dose from 2022 COVAX commitment.

Background

Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator)
Budget 2022 provided $732M in 2022-23 to ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ to further support the efforts of the ACT-Accelerator and to ensure that Canada continues to provide its fair share to global efforts to improve access to vaccines, therapeutics, and other tools to fight COVID-19. As the world transitions to long-term COVID-19 control, ACT-A is adjusting its approach to ensure countries continue to have access to COVID-19 tools, while integrating efforts into primary health systems.

Dose donation and vaccine delivery
Canada is doing its part to support country vaccination targets through investments in the COVAX Facility and the donation of surplus doses. To date, Canada has donated the equivalent of over 196M doses, comprised of doses deemed surplus from Canada’s domestic procurement, as well as financial contributions (dose equivalents). Canada stands ready to donate vaccine doses, primarily through COVAX, in 2023 based on supply and demand. Canada has committed approximately $745M for vaccine distribution and delivery and to strengthen health systems in response to COVID-19 across LMICs, including CA$275M for CanGIVE. CanGIVE partners include UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and Medicines Patent Pool (MPP). As countries move from COVID-19 response into recovery, Canada will continue to invest in the equity and resilience of health systems so countries can better respond to health security crises, while maintaining routine immunization and essential public health care.

Strengthening Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
Canada is engaged in discussions, including at the WHO, G20, G7, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA), on how to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) based on the lessons learned from COVID-19 and other health security crises. The World Health Assembly has launched processes to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument to strengthen pandemic PPR, and to consider amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005). A new World Bank-housed financial intermediary fund for pandemic PPR (i.e. the Pandemic Fund) was launched on September 9, 2022, to help strengthen pandemic PPR at national, regional and global levels, with a focus on low and middle-income countries. Canada has contributed $50M to the Pandemic Fund to help address critical gaps in, inter alia, disease surveillance, laboratory systems, the health workforce, emergency communications and management and community engagement. The UNGA has also agreed to host a High-Level Meeting on pandemic PPR on September 20, 2023.

Health Security Capacity Building

Canada’s flagship contribution to the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction has funded biological containment laboratories in Ghana (x3), Nigeria (x2), and South Africa to support COVID-19 diagnostic efforts; the ASEAN Emergency Operations Center Network for timely pandemic information sharing; the ASEAN BioDiaspora Virtual Centre, pioneered by Toronto-based BlueDot; and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, including $90M committed for COVID-19 vaccine development. During the pandemic, Canada also provided in-kind PPE to Africa CDC and ASEAN partners, valued at over $38M in 2021, through GAC’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program.

WHO Sexual Misconduct

• Canada condemns all forms of sexual misconduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and sexual harassment (SH), and is working to strengthen prevention and response efforts.
• Canada expects WHO senior officials to fully and immediately investigate any allegations, hold perpetrators to account, and ensure that individuals affected by sexual misconduct have access to the physical and psychosocial support they need.
• We recognize the WHO’s recent steps toward implementing organizational changes to address sexual misconduct. Transparency, accountability and victim/survivor-centred measures will be critical for sustained change.

Supplementary Messages

• We are closely monitoring the implementation of the WHO’s Three-Year Strategy for Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct to ensure WHO is fit for purpose to meaningfully address SEA and SH.

Background

Dozens of incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by WHO, UN and other non-governmental organization staff during the WHO-led Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were reported by the media in late 2020, which the WHO’s internal mechanisms and processes had failed to prevent or detect.

Canada has been at the forefront of efforts to hold WHO accountable, championing a decision at the Executive Board in January 2021 which called for stronger institutional measures to prevent SEA and SH. We continue to emphasize zero tolerance for inaction, the importance of a survivor/victim-centred approach, and the need for close collaboration between WHO and key UN entities, and regularly follow up with WHO senior management for progress updates.

In response to the 2021 Executive Board decision, the WHO enacted a dedicated Management Response Plan to address recommendations from an Independent Commission investigation on SEA in DRC. In January 2023, WHO launched a Three-Year Strategy (2023-2025) for preventing and responding to all forms of sexual misconduct. On March 8, 2023, a new Policy on Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct came into effect, which aims to address gaps, loopholes, and lack of clarity in previous policy documents; align with international and UN requirements and protocols; and clearly outline responsibilities of WHO staff and of collaborators.

While supportive of this progress, Canada and likeminded remain concerned about accountability for the management of allegations. At the WHO Executive Board meeting held in January-February 2023, the UK delivered a statement on these issues on behalf of 54 countries, including Canada. The statement underscored the importance of a victim and survivor-centred approach; strengthening organizational capacity and ensuring accountability; and safeguarding in high-risk settings.

In January 2023, the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services released a confidential investigation report on WHO’s mid-level staff response to allegations of SEA during the Ebola outbreak in DRC between 2018 and 2020. Canada and likeminded continue to assess the findings and await a response from WHO senior management.

Increasing Canada’s International Development Assistance Every Year Towards 2030

• The Government has committed to increasing international development assistance every year towards 2030 to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• In Budget 2023, the Government projected the International Assistance Envelope to total $6.89 billion in 2023-24, a 49% increase from 2015-16.
• Over the last several years, Canada has made significant and exceptional international assistance investments to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Supplementary Messages

• In line with the principles for effective development cooperation, Canada continues to improve its processes to make its international assistance more effective, transparent and accountable.

Update

Budget 2023 announced an additional $2.4 million loan for Ukraine to be administered by the International Monetary Fund. Budget 2023 did not announce any new international assistance funding for ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ.

In December 2022 at 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity, the Prime Minister announced $350 million in new international assistance to help developing countries advance conservation efforts.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has allocated over $10.9 billion in new international assistance resources, including:
  • Over $4.6 billion in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine;
  • Over $3 billion for COVID-19 response and recovery;
  • Over $1.3 billion for international climate finance;
  • $350 million to support biodiversity and conservation in developing countries;
  • $296 million for the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
  • $287 million as part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy;
  • $250 million in response to the global food crisis;
  • $208 million to respond to the Rohingya crisis;
  • $174 million for the Middle East Strategy;
  • $165 million to respond to increased humanitarian needs;
  • $85 million for the Global Partnership to Education;
  • $56 million to respond to the Venezuelan migrant and refugee crisis; and
  • $25 million for care work.

Background

• Your mandate letter sets a commitment to “increase Canada’s international development assistance every year towards 2030 to realize the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals”, which is reflected in recent growth in the international assistance funding envelope.
• Budgets 2023 and 2022 reaffirmed this commitment.
• In line with the 2030 Agenda and the FIAP, Canada is actively encouraging a coordinated global response to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the corresponding food and energy crisis, and is focused on reaching the poorest and most vulnerable so that no one is left behind.

Responses to the Budget Narrative on Cuts to the International Assistance Envelope

• Budget 2023 affirmed the Government’s commitment to increase international development assistance every year towards 2030.
• Budget 2023 projected the IAE to reach $6.89 billion in 2023-24, a 49% increase from 2015-16.
• Over the last several years, the Government of Canada has made significant and exceptional international assistance investments to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Supplementary Messages

• Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has allocated over $10.9 billion in new International Assistance Envelope resources.
• The significant international assistance resources provided in response to COVID-19 and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine were time-limited allocations in response to exceptional circumstances and were never intended to continue over the long term.
• The projected IAE total for 2022-23 is preliminary, with final expenditures reconciled over the coming months and published in spring 2024 in the 2022-23 Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance and the Statistical Report on International Assistance.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• The $10.9 billion in new International Assistance Envelope (IAE) resources announced since the start of the pandemic include:
  • Over $4.6 billion in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine;
  • Over $3 billion for COVID-19 response and recovery;
  • Over $1.3 billion for international climate finance;
  • $350 million to support biodiversity and conservation in developing countries;
  • $296 million for the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
  • $287 million as part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy;
  • $250 million in response to the global food crisis;
  • $208 million to respond to the Rohingya crisis;
  • $174 million for the Middle East Strategy;
  • $165 million to respond to increased humanitarian needs;
  • $85 million for the Global Partnership to Education;
  • $56 million to respond to the Venezuelan migrant and refugee crisis; and
  • $25 million for care work.
• The IAE has been on an upward trajectory since 2015-16, growing from $4.63 billion to a projected $6.89 billion in 2023-24.
  • Higher amounts in 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 were exceptional, driven by the Government’s response to COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Background

Canadian Civil society groups, led by Cooperation Canada, have been critical of an apparent 15% decline in the IAE based on forecasts for 2022-23 ($8.2 billion) and 2023-24 ($6.89 billion).

2022-23 IAE expenditures will be reconciled over the coming months and published in spring 2024 in the 2022-23 Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance and the Statistical Report on International Assistance.

Feminist International Assistance Policy

• Through its Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), Canada has transformed its international assistance (both what we do, and how we do it) to achieve improved results and impact for the poorest and most marginalized around the world, including those in fragile states.
• Since its adoption in 2017, the Policy has remained Canada’s roadmap, setting overarching objectives for our international assistance.
• The Policy has strengthened Canada’s reputation as a feminist donor. For the fourth year in a row, Canada has topped the list of bilateral donors supporting investments in gender equality and empowerment of women and girls on a proportional basis.

Supplementary Messages

• The FIAP’s feminist, intersectional and human rights-based approach to international assistance provides an effective framework for addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality, and responding to emerging global development challenges.
• Canada is committed to constantly improving how its international assistance is delivered, including by integrating across its portfolio the human rights principles of participation and inclusion, equality and non-discrimination, and transparency and accountability.
• In 2021-22, Canadian-funded programs reached more than 42 million people through projects aimed at ending sexual and gender-based violence, including harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation/cutting.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• The COVID-19 pandemic led to the first rise in global poverty rates since the Asian financial crisis of 1998. An estimated 122 million people were pushed back into extreme poverty in 2020. As a result, the World Bank estimates 7% of the global population will continue to suffer from extreme poverty in 2030, putting the global goal of 0% out of reach.
• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to disrupt global food, fertilizer and fuel supply chains, contributing to historically high prices and ongoing price volatility. High food prices disproportionately affect the poor, who spend most of their income on food and other basic needs and also push people towards cheaper and less nutritious food, exacerbating malnutrition rates.
• Trade and development are mutually reinforcing. Their integration fosters inclusive growth and promotes developing countries’ participation in global trade. Canada’s Aid for Trade contributions have averaged above $600 million in recent years, and reached over $1 billion per year in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
  • Aid for Trade helps developing countries build trade capacity and infrastructure that they need in order to benefit from trade liberalization (e.g. building roads, ports and telecommunications networks to connect domestic markets to the global economy).
  • Many Canadian projects advance international assistance priorities like energy and climate action, food security (agriculture), and gender equality.
  • For example, since 2015, Canada has been supporting the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation which operates at the nexus of trade and development, providing timely expertise on ways of overcoming trade barriers for MSMEs, including women-owned enterprises, in developing and least developed countries.
• Through the ongoing Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative, Canada is working to revamp, from start to finish, how it manages international assistance grants and contributions. The focus is on creating ways of working that are faster, more transparent and more flexible, enhancing Canada’s capacity to deliver results and sustainable impact that brings positive change in people’s lives.
• Several signature initiatives have been advanced in support of the FIAP:
  • successfully fulfilled the first phase of the Muskoka Initiative ($2.85 billion from 2010-2015), which contributed to reducing under-five and maternal mortality; strengthening health systems; improving nutrition; and combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases in Africa, Asia and Latin America;
  • successfully fulfilled the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) 2.0 ($3.5 billion from 2015-2020) and the Her Voice, Her Choice commitment of $650 million over three years (2017-2020) for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), which contributed to addressing the SRHR gap by supporting access for women and adolescent girls to the full range of sexual and reproductive health services, including by supporting 189 health projects across 65 countries;
  • supported over 900 women’s rights organizations (WROs) in over 30 countries and regions through the Women’s Voice and Leadership program ($150M, 2017-2023). Through this support, WROs are strengthening the management of their organizations and delivering services to diverse women and girls in situations of vulnerability. They are also successfully advocating and building networks to influence policy, legal and social change for gender equality and the rights of women and girls. For example, WROs in Mozambique were behind the adoption of legislations on Child Early and Forced Marriage, women’s property rights and SRH services;
  • met $400 million commitment to improve access to quality education and skills training for over 4 million women and girls in crisis and conflict situations, in part by addressing the multi-sectoral barriers that prevent girls from accessing and completing quality education;
  • met commitment of $2.65 billion over five years to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to and mitigate climate change, with over 228 megatonnes of greenhouse emissions reduced or avoided, helping 6.6 million people with increased resilience to the effects of climate change, and supporting 126 projects in developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change;
  • contributed $300 million to work with the Equality Fund consortium to mobilize unprecedented levels of resources for women’s organizations and movements in developing countries including through gender-lens and impact investing. Since launching in 2019, the Equality Fund has committed $53M to resource over 300 women's rights organizations working in 85 countries to address issues ranging from violence against women to environmental rights.
  • developed Canada’s third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to strengthen women’s full inclusion in all matters of peace and security, recognising their role as solution bearers, knowledge holders and essential partners for peace.
• Canada’s international assistance contributes to development results. For instance, in 2021-22:
  • Nearly all (99%) of Canada’s bilateral international development assistance either targeted or integrated gender equality;
  • Canada’s 10-year commitment to global health and rights contributed to help prevent 5.4 million unintended pregnancies, thereby saving the lives of 14,490 women and 99,987 children, and provided two annual doses of vitamin A to more than 167 million children, preventing over 105,000 child deaths and 730,000 cases of stunting;
  • Along with other donors, Canada provided humanitarian assistance that reached a record 128.2 million food insecure people through the World Food Programme and its partners (in 2021) and provided assistance and protection to 94.7 million refugees and internally displaced persons through the UNHCR;
  • Canada, along with other multilateral and global partners, contributed to train over 27,000 teachers (12,825 women; 12,925 men; and 1,797 people whose gender was not indicated) according to national standards or approved teacher training programs and helped nearly 4,000 schools create welcoming spaces that respond to the specific needs of girls;
  • Canada contributed to two precedent-setting verdicts in sexual violence cases in Guatemala perpetrated by teachers against Indigenous girls by bringing media attention to the issue of sexual and gender-based violence;
  • Canada trained 8,473 military police and civilian personnel (including 1,214 women) in peacekeeping competencies that incorporated gender equality and addressed sexual and gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and abuse.

Education in Conflict and Crisis

• Access to quality education in times of crises is essential to ensuring safety and stability for children, youth, and their communities.
• Canada is a global leader in education programming in conflict and crisis situations.
• In February 2023, Canada pledged $87.5 million of new funding to Education Cannot Wait (ECW) in support of quality education for children in emergency and crisis situations worldwide.
• As part of the Together for Learning campaign, Canada continues to amplify the voices of youth during key global education moments, including the Transforming Education Summit and ECW High-level Financing Conference.

Supplementary Messages

• There is an education crisis due to the combined impacts of conflict, climate change, and COVID-19 – making support more crucial than ever.
• Incorporating the views of youth is key to building appropriate, sustainable, resilient education systems.  

Update

Canada hosted a youth-led Together for Learning Summit in March 2022. The Summit provided an opportunity to hear and learn from refugee and displaced youth, engaging them as problem-solvers and decision-makers. The youth released a Youth Manifesto, including calls to action in five priority areas: inclusion, mental and psychosocial support, digital learning, gender equality and accountability. During the Summit, Canada announced $67.2M of support for the education of refugee, displaced and host community children and youth.   

Canada continues to amplify the Summit outcome documents and the voices of youth, including at key international events such as the UN Secretary General’s Transforming Education Summit (Sept 2022) and the Education Cannot Wait’s High-Level Financing Conference (Feb 2023). Canada will continue to amplify the voices of refugee youth in the lead up to the second Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in December 2023.   

Seven Global Initiatives emerged from the UN Secretary General`s Transforming Education Summit (Sept 2022). Three of these initiatives are particularly well aligned with Canada’s priorities, namely: transforming education systems to enable all crisis-affected children and youth to access inclusive, quality, safe learning opportunities and continuity of education; advancing gender equality and girls’ and women’s empowerment in and through education; and foundational learning.

Education Cannot Wait hosted a High-Level Financing Conference in February 2023 to increase funding for education in emergencies, a chronically underfunded area. Canada announced $87.5 million over four years, of which $27.5M is earmarked for the Bangladesh Multi-Year Resilience Program (MYRP), as part of Canada’s Strategy to Respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar Crisis. The event was co-hosted by Switzerland, and co-convened by Colombia, Germany, Niger, Norway and South Sudan, in Geneva.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Canada supports bilateral partners, Canadian organizations and key multilateral partners who work in crisis settings, notably the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) ($407 million) since 2007, and Education Cannot Wait ($170 million including the $87.5 million pledged in February 2023) since 2016.
• The $400 million G7 Charlevoix Education Initiative is reaching over 4 million girls and women through 55 projects that address gender-based barriers to education in conflict and crisis-affected settings.
• Canada’s international COVID-19 response allocated $78.9 million in additional funding for education, including $24.5 million for initiatives targeting displaced persons.
• 68% of refugee children have access to primary education, 34% to secondary education, ^{Footnote 1}
• Girls affected by conflict are 2.5 times more likely to drop out of school than boys^{Footnote 2}.

Background

The provision of education is a human right and critical in crisis situations, particularly for girls. In protracted crises, education ensures that children and youth have access to the knowledge, skills and other supports (nutrition, mental health, protection) that they need to contribute economically and socially to the rebuilding of their communities. COVID-19 caused the largest disruption to education in history, and eroded progress in enrolment rates. Displaced and refugee learners have been particularly disadvantage.  

In February 2021, Canada launched the three-year international Together for Learning campaign to promote quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for refugee, displaced and host community children and youth. The Campaign includes four key areas of work: 1) programming excellence; 2) diplomatic engagement; 3) amplifying local voices; and 4) building the evidence base on education for refugee and displaced children and youth. 

Management of International Development Assistance for Greater Effectiveness, Transparency and Accountability

• In line with the principles for effective development cooperation, Canada continues to improve its processes to make its international assistance more effective, transparent and accountable.
• Efficient processes and reduced administrative burdens on partners allow for more timely responses to crises and enhanced results. This is why ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is undertaking an ambitious Grants and Contributions transformation. It will lead to greater responsiveness, effectiveness, transparency and accountability.
• The recently tabled annual consolidated report on Canada’s international assistance for 2021-2022, is an important measure of the Government’s commitment to aid transparency and accountability.

Supplementary Messages

• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is improving its processes by providing partners greater flexibility to adjust projects and simplifying approvals to bring new projects online faster.
• The International Assistance Report reconciles International Assistance Envelope allocations with results and expenditures, providing Canadians with clear information and examples on progress implementing the Feminist International Assistance Policy.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is completely transforming the way it manages its grants and contributions for international assistance. The Gs&Cs Transformation work plan was approved in June 2022. This 5-year initiative will transform (1) our processes, (2) our technology, and (3) our people and our culture. 

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Gs&Cs Transformation is in line with mandate commitments and the FIAP, and is a core element of the department’s response to the recent audit.
• Key process improvements that enhance transparency and effectiveness include:
  • the publication of a rolling 12-month calendar of current and upcoming funding opportunities on the ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ website;
  • a two-month service standard to respond to concept notes.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ’s Project Browser offers individual project profiles, while DevData showcases Canada’s international assistance statistics in an interactive dashboard.
• Canada engages globally in support of development effectiveness:
  • As an active member of the International Aid Transparency Initiative, Canada fosters effectiveness, transparency and accountability for development finance;
  • Within the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, Canada enables country level monitoring of the implementation of the principles for effective development cooperation.

The Gender Equality Focus Behind Canada’s International Assistance Investments

• The Government of Canada believes that putting gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at the heart of its international assistance efforts is the most effective way to foster a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous world.
• As a result of the bold targets set out in the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada is the top OECD- ranked donor for the fourth year in a row for the share of aid contributing to gender equality. In 2021-22, 99% of Canada’s bilateral international development assistance either targeted fully or integrated gender equality results, representing $3.7 billion.

Supplementary Messages

• Women and girls are persistently and disproportionately impacted by global crises. Prioritizing gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls has proven an effective framework for responding to global crises, reducing poverty and leaving no one behind.
• Under the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada has established itself as a top donor globally, supporting women’s rights organizations and feminist movements, with over $450 million in signature investments, and co-creating the Alliance for Feminist Movements, launched in September 2022.
• In 2021-22, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ supported over 1,800 women’s rights organizations and networks. This was achieved in large part through the Women’s Voice and Leadership program which supported more than 900 organizations and networks in over 30 developing countries and regions.

Update

For the fourth consecutive year (since 2020), Canada was ranked as the top OECD bilateral donor for its share of overall official development assistance (ODA) supporting gender equality.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• In 2021-22, GAC continued to implement the Feminist International Assistance Policy with 99% ($3.7 billion) of bilateral international development assistance either directly targeting or integrating gender equality results (target: 95% by 2021-22), of which 10% ($388 million) fully targeted gender equality results (target: 15% by 2021-22).
• Since the launch of the Policy, GAC has increased the percentage of international assistance integrating or targeting gender equality results by 23 percent, from a baseline of 76% in 2015-16 to 99% in 2021-22.
• With regards to investments that specifically target gender equality results, while the target of 15% has not yet been reached, there has been a six-fold increase in annual dollars spent from $61 million in 2015-16 to $388 million in 2021-22. There was a peak (of $611 million) in 2020-21 due to a $195 million disbursement to establish the Equality Fund and a subsequent dip due funds being required for responses related to COVID-19 and other crisis.

Addressing Paid and Unpaid Care Work

Top Line Messages

• The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated both the unequal nature of unpaid care work and the care crisis, undermining human rights and driving women out of the workforce and public space.
• Addressing unpaid and paid care work is essential to advancing gender equality, inclusive economic growth and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.
• Canada is implementing $100.0 M in programming to address this issue in low- and middle-income countries, reinforcing Canada’s role as a leading advocate internationally on the issue.

Update

To drive more and better-quality investments in childcare in low- and middle-income countries to improve outcomes for women, children, families, businesses and economies, Canada contributed $10 million to the World Bank Group’s Invest in Childcare initiative. In Peru, Canada provided $3 million to a project called Opening Doors: More and Better Decent Work Opportunities for Domestic Workers in partnership with the International Labour Organisation. Canada provided $10 million to a project called Build Back Equal, in partnership with UN Women, to ensure that care services are included in gender-responsive social protection systems while advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in four Eastern Caribbean countries. In November 2022, the Department launched the “Action for Paid Care Workers Initiative”, a funding opportunity by invitation only to selected Canadian organizations meeting the eligibility criteria. Under this $36 million initiative, four to six projects will be selected. These will address paid care work issues or both paid and unpaid care work challenges. Additional projects are under development and will be announced in due course.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Based on International Labour Organization (ILO) data, globally, 16.4 billion hours/day are spent on unpaid care work, the equivalent of US$11 trillion or 9% of global GDP. Women, aged 15 and older, perform on average 3.2 times more of this work than men. Furthermore, 19.3% of global female employment is in the paid care sector.
• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is building its portfolio of standalone unpaid and paid care work initiatives through both COVID-19 response initiatives and the $100.0 M commitment on standalone care work programming by taking a “5Rs” approach.
• This approach seeks to: recognize the value of unpaid and poorly paid care work; reduce drudgery and hours spent on unpaid care work; redistribute responsibility for care work more equitably, both within the household and outside it; ensure unpaid and paid care workers are represented and have a voice; and respond to the rights and needs of unpaid and paid care workers.

Background

Prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has continued to draw attention to the disproportionate share of paid and unpaid care work shouldered by women and girls, as an issue critical to address in the implementation of its Feminist International Assistance Policy. The inequitable distribution of care work leads to time poverty among women and girls: less time for education and training, employment and entrepreneurship, political and civic activities, and rest and care of their own health. To address this inequality, Canada is implementing a commitment made on June 30, 2021, at the Generation Equality Forum, to invest $100.0 M over the next five years to address the unequal distribution of paid and unpaid care work in low and middle-income countries through stand-alone care work programming.

Mandate Commitment to Increase Funding to Feminist Leaders and Organizations

• Supporting women’s rights organizations is a cornerstone to Canada’s feminist approach to international assistance, and has been an important area of leadership for Canada.
• Feminist human rights defenders and organizations are increasingly facing the violent suppression of their voices and restrictions to their access to resources - used as tools to repress progress toward gender equality.
• The Government of Canada is committed to furthering its support to women leaders and feminist groups as their role is critical in advancing gender equality, promoting peace, and protecting the rights of women and other marginalized groups in the face of compounding global crises.

Supplementary Messages

• Women’s rights organizations (WROs) and feminist movements play a critical role in bringing about transformative social change and gender equality.
• Despite their indisputable contributions, less than 1% of international assistance funding allocated to gender equality goes directly to local WROs.

Update

In October 2022, Canada was selected to Co-chair the Alliance for Feminist Movements along with RESURJ, a global-south based network of women’s rights organizations.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Despite their proven track record in advancing gender equality and human rights, WROs are critically underfunded, receiving 0.13% of Official Development Assistance and 0.42% of philanthropic funding, globally.
• Investments by Canada to support WROs globally, including through the Women’s Voice and Leadership program (2017-2022 - $150M) and the Equality Fund (2019 - $300M), have resulted in Canada being among the top OECD donors to WROs for the past four years.
• In 2021-22, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ supported over 1,800 women’s rights organizations and networks. This was achieved in large part through the Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) program which supported more than 900 WROs and networks in over 30 developing countries and regions.
• The Alliance for Feminist Movements has more than 400 members, including Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Ireland, Malawi, Mexico, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Background

Supporting WROs and feminist movements is core to Canada’s FIAP. During the consultations to develop the FIAP, Canadian NGOs and women’s rights defenders advocated strongly for more and better funding for local WROs, as an effective means to advance gender equality and an essential component of a feminist approach to international assistance.

¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ continues to look for ways to implement the Minister’s mandate letter commitment to support women leaders and feminist groups' efforts to promote peace and protect the rights of women and marginalized groups.

The mandate letter commitment aligns with Canada’s global leadership as an advocate of women’s rights organizations and feminist movements, including through the co-leadership of the Feminist Movements and Leadership Action Coalition, and the launching of the Alliance for Feminist Movements.

The Alliance for Feminist Movements is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on exponentially increasing, sustaining and improving financial and political support for women’s rights and feminist organizations and movements globally. The Alliance has more than 400 members including Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Ireland, Malawi, Mexico, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

ATIP Protected Background

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Canadian Civil Society Organizations

• Canadian civil society organizations (CSOs) play a frontline role in the delivery of Canada’s international development priorities.
• Rooted in communities across Canada, CSOs help us leverage Canadian expertise, resources and innovation; understand local challenges and opportunities; strengthen policy dialogue; and engage Canadians to raise awareness, support and action related to international assistance.

Supplementary Messages

• ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ is determined to ensure that the delivery of international assistance is efficient and inclusive of all who face discrimination and marginalization, and recognizes that more needs to be done.
• GAC is committed to continuing to strengthen its gender equality, human rights, and project management training and processes to further improve how we consider intersecting identity factors and account for results.
• Canada recognizes the important role of local, Canadian and international civil society organizations in the delivery of international assistance, and values ongoing dialogue and exchange as we collectively pursue greater localization and effectiveness of international assistance.
• GAC recognizes that charities have raised concerns with respect to direction and control and welcomes the amended Income Tax Act, and the development of guidance by the Canadian Revenue Agency to replace the current direction and control provisions, in consultation with the sector.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• GAC allocated $898 million in international assistance to Canadian CSOs in 2021-22 (16%), down from $1.06 billion (16%) in 2020-21. While the volume of GAC funding to Canadian CSOs declined in 2021-2022 as a result of the end of exceptional funding to support the international response to COVID-19 in 2020-21, the percentage (16%) of international assistance funding directed to Canadian CSOs remained the same.
• In 2021-2022, based on preliminary figures, approximately 185 Canadian organizations received GAC funding to implement international assistance projects, of which 35 were small and medium-sized organizations.

Background

Canadian CSOs value in the delivery of Canada’s IAE: The Department partners with Canadian CSOs to: 1) deliver international assistance programming; 2) dialogue on policy, process improvements and innovation, and 3) engage, inform, and inspire Canadians on international development.

Delivery of International Assistance: To increase predictability, the Department publishes a semi-annual calendar of calls for proposals and issues detailed information on funding processes. To increase accessibility, and to lower applicants’ burden, new application processes have been introduced such as the use of proposal “concept notes”. Through the Small and Medium Organizations (SMOs) Initiative, over 433 SMOs have benefited from capacity-building activities and there have been 468 applications to the three calls for proposals. In addition, the 5-year Grants and Contributions Transformation includes new ways of working with partners to reduce the administrative burden and increase the transparency, responsiveness and predictability of our international assistance.

Budget 2023 and OAG report: A coalition of over 90 Canadian international development organizations, including Cooperation Canada, expressed disappointment as they feel Budget 2023 undermines Canada's position in the world. This coalition also reacted to the OAG report by noting the department’s ongoing collaborative commitment to addressing issues raised, reaffirming its support of the FIAP and working with GAC to better track and communicate impact.

Direction and control: In response to the sector’s advocacy related to some elements of the Income Tax Act applicable to Canadian charities carrying on activities outside Canada, Finance Canada introduced Bill C19 in Budget 2022, which received Royal Assent in June 2022. The changes to Bill C19 were introduced in response to charities views that the previous requirements were costly and labour intensive, conflicted with principles of local ownership, and supported an out-dated colonial approach to working with local partners. The Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) has drafted new related guidance for Canadian charities in consultation with the sector. Cooperation Canada recently commented that while they appreciate the efforts made to address the sector’s concerns, the guidance continues to over emphasize risk and impose onerous requirements for charities. CRA has yet to publish a revised version based on the public consultation that concluded in January 2023. While changes to the legislation will not directly affect GAC’s programming, the amended Income Tax Act and CRA’s related guidance align with GAC’s contribution agreements, as required under the Treasury Board Transfer Payment Policy.

Localization: Canada and a community of likeminded donors issued a statement in December 2022 that reflects actions to foster locally sustained change, tied to local contexts.

Global Health and SRHR

• Good health, including addressing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), is critical to reducing poverty and contributing to gender equality.
• The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated poverty and negatively impacted health services globally, especially in low- and lower-middle income countries. Canada helped lead a robust international COVID-19 response and remains committed to strengthening health systems and pandemic preparedness as part of an inclusive and sustainable recovery.
• Canada has been a longstanding leader in advancing global health, especially women’s, adolescents’ and children’s health and rights. In 2020-2021, Canada's funding to global health was over $1.22 billion, including $489 million to SRHR. In addition, Canada provided additional one-time financing to support health programming under our international COVID-19 response which raised GAC’s total health-related disbursements to close to $2.31 billion.

Supplementary Messages

• As a leader in global health, Canada has made a historic 10-year commitment (2020-2030) to improve the health and rights of women and girls around the world. This will reach $1.4 billion annually, starting in 2023, with $700 million of the annual investment dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Update

The current phase of Canada’s leadership in global health comes through the continued implementation of Canada’s 10-year commitment to global health and rights, including a significant annual investment to close persistent gaps in SRHR. This commitment is helping to deliver long-term investments for impact, building on two decades of leadership in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH); SRHR; nutrition; as well as combatting infectious disease through global financing mechanisms like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), among others. Recognizing the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada continues to support pandemic response efforts, as well as a reform agenda to strengthen health systems and build resilience to future pandemics.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Canada has traditionally allocated a higher percentage of its Official Development Assistance to global health than any other donor (30%), except for the US.
• Canada supported the Muskoka Initiative for maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) from 2010 to 2015, followed-by MNCH 2.0 from 2015 to 2020, as well as, the Her Voice Her Choice $650 million commitment between 2017 to 2020 with additional focus on the SRHR of women and girls.
• In 2019, Canada made a 10-year commitment (2020-2021 to 2029-2030) to global health and rights, including to raise funding to an average of $1.4 billion annually by fiscal year 2023/2024, with an average of $700 million annually for SRHR.
• This global leadership includes roughly $90 million per year on nutrition-specific programming and significant support to global financing mechanisms to ensure effective and coordinated support for developing countries (including via the GFATM; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Polio Eradication Initiative; and the Global Financing Facility).
• In fiscal year 2020-2021, ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ (GAC) disbursed a total of $1.22 billion under the 10YC. This includes $730 million for global health and $489 million for SRHR investments. During this same fiscal year, GAC received additional, one-time financing to support Canada’s international response to COVID-19. This funding raised GAC’s total health-related disbursements to close to $2.31 billion, including $1.76 billion and $543 million for global health and SRHR investments, respectively. Canada is on track to meet its funding target of $1.4 billion annually by 2023/24 to support the health of women, children and adolescents around the world.
• Canada’s global health leadership continued in response to COVID-19, which had a disproportionate impact on women and girls.
• Canada has committed over $3.5 billion in international assistance to the global response to COVID-19.
• In the wake of the pandemic, Canada remains committed to equitable and resilient health systems that deliver quality services for women and girls and help stop outbreaks from becoming pandemics.

Background

Canada’s support for women and children’s health and rights has a policy and programmatic focus on three priority areas: increasing the quality and accessibility of health services, SRHR, and nutrition. This encompasses infectious disease response – including exceptional support to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Investments are underpinned by support for effective and equitable health systems.

In addition to working towards increasing Canada’s overall investments in SRHR, the 10-year commitment aims to increase awareness and funding for key neglected areas including: family planning and contraception; safe abortion services and post-abortion care; comprehensive sexuality education; SRHR advocacy; and prevention and response to sexual and gender based violence.

Humanitarian Response 2023

• Humanitarian needs have reached record highs in 2023, with over 346 million people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance. Canada continues to be a top ten humanitarian donor. In FY 2021-2022, Canada provided more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance.
• Canada will continue to respond to humanitarian crises around the world by working through experienced humanitarian partners, including the UN, Red Cross, and NGOs, to provide urgent humanitarian assistance where it is needed most.
• In 2022, Canada committed nearly $650 million for humanitarian food and nutrition assistance in response to the growing global food crisis.

Update

To address an unprecedented level of humanitarian needs, Canada continues to respond to the increasing number of humanitarian crises around the world. Canada has continued to respond to complex humanitarian situations, including in Ukraine, Afghanistan and Haiti, as well as sudden-onset emergencies such as the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, and is actively addressing global food insecurity.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Canada remains a committed and generous humanitarian donor, ranked as the 5^th largest humanitarian donor in 2022.
• Canada continues to respond to large-scale and deteriorating humanitarian situations. For example, in 2022, Canada allocated $277.5 million to respond to needs in Ukraine and the region, and provided over $143 million in assistance in Afghanistan and the region.
• Needs continue to grow. In 2023, the UN is appealing for more than $54 billion to respond to rising humanitarian needs.
• To date in 2023, Canada allocated $12.3 million in humanitarian funding in Haiti, and announced $50 million to support the earthquake response in Türkiye and Syria.
• In line with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, gender equality considerations were integrated into approximately 99% of Canada’s bilateral humanitarian assistance projects in FY 2021-2022, with the exception of funding for humanitarian logistics operations.

Background

Over the last decade, the scope, scale, and complexity of the humanitarian system has significantly grown, characterized by a more than 80% increase in the number of conflicts and natural disasters, exacerbated by climate change. Further, more than 100 million people are forcibly displaced and global public health is worsening. It is projected that over 345 million people will be acutely food insecure in 2023. Of these, over 43 million people are at the brink of famine and nearly 1 million people are expected to face catastrophic conditions. In response, the humanitarian system has expanded, with the UN global appeal tripling to more than $54 billion in 2023.

Official Development Assistance Levels

• According to OECD preliminary 2022 data:
• Canada’s official development assistance (ODA) increased by 29% to $10.2 billion for calendar year 2022.
• Canada ranks as the 6th highest donor among OECD members in terms of ODA volume, and 16^th based on ODA/GNI.
• In 2022, Canada’s preliminary ODA/GNI ratio increased to 0.37 percent, from 0.32 percent in 2021. This is Canada’s highest ODA/GNI level since 1995.
• The significant ODA increase in 2022 was largely due to Canada’s exceptional allocations for Ukraine, refugee support, World Bank institutions and the Green Climate Fund.

Supplementary Messages

• Canada’s international assistance efforts go beyond what it contributes in aid funding alone.
• The government remains committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of its aid to generate better results for the poorest and most vulnerable.
• In Budget 2023, the Government’s projected an International Assistance Envelope of $6.89 billion, a 49% increase from 2015-16.
• To complement its ODA, Canada strives to mobilize additional public and private financing for sustainable development.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Canada reports domestically, on a fiscal year basis, on International Assistance, which includes ODA and initiatives funded through the International Assistance Envelope (IAE) as mandated by the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act.
  • In 2021-2022, Canada provided $8.4 billion in international assistance, of which $8.0 billion was ODA. Of this, federal international assistance totalled $7.9 billion, of which $7.5 billion was ODA.
• The OECD-DAC calculates each donor country’s ODA volume and ODA/GNI ratio on a calendar year basis using all official sources of ODA (i.e. national and sub-national entities).
  • According to preliminary data, in 2022, Canada’s net ODA rose by $2.3 billion to $10.2 billion, and Canada remained the 6^th largest DAC donor in total volume, and dropped to the 16^th position among DAC countries, compared to 13^th in 2021, when ODA is taken as a share of GNI.

The increase is attributable to Canada’s exceptional increases to Ukraine ($1.1 billion), refugee support ($642 million), World Bank institutions ($590 million) and the Green Climate Fund ($235 million).

Ukraine Situation Brief

• Canada strongly condemns President Putin’s unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, which is an attack on the rules-based international order, including the UN Charter.
• Canada moved quickly, in coordination with G7 and NATO partners, to provide substantive and meaningful support to Ukraine and to isolate Putin’s regime politically and economically.
• Canada will continue to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will continue to stand in solidarity with the brave and resilient people in Ukraine.

Supplementary Messages

• Canada continues to engage in intense diplomacy with partners and allies, and the broader international community, to reinforce our support for Ukraine and call on Russia to end its war.
• Canada remains deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian crisis. Approximately 17.6 million people (over 30% of the population) are estimated to require humanitarian assistance.
• Canada is working in coordination with international partners to help mitigate the secondary effects of the war globally, as well as counter Russian disinformation attributing the devastating impacts of Russia’s war, including the global food crisis and increasing energy prices, to the West and Ukraine.

Update

Heavy fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces continues in eastern and southern Ukraine. Despite the recapture of territory by Ukraine since last September (over 12,000 km2), Russian forces have recently made some small gains through their winter offensive. Russia’s dangerous escalations, such as attacking civilian targets and critical infrastructure, will likely continue, as the Kremlin attempts to destabilize Ukraine, undermine Ukraine’s ability to wage war, and appease hardliners in Moscow in response to its setbacks on the battlefield. Russia continues missile and kamikaze drone attacks against energy and water infrastructure across Ukrainian cities; Ukrainian officials estimate that almost half of the country’s electricity infrastructure is damaged. Russia’s continued attacks on energy facilities are deepening Ukraine’s humanitarian catastrophe. Sustaining supplies of the four “As” – ammunition, armour, air defence, and artillery – remains the priority ahead of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Since 2022, Canada has committed over $8 billion in multifaceted support to Ukraine, including an additional $2.4 billion announced in Budget 2023 through the Administered Account for Ukraine at the International Monetary Fund.
• Diplomacy and coordination continue at the UN, NATO, OSCE, and G7, including with non-traditional partners. Most recently, the Prime Minister continued to strongly advocate for Ukraine at the G20, ASEAN, APEC and Francophonie Summits in November.
• In 2022, Canada has committed $320 million to support the humanitarian response in Ukraine and other impacted countries in the region.
• Since January 2022, Canada has committed over $1.3 billion in military aid to support Ukraine.
• Canada has fully disbursed $1.95 billion in new loan resources to the Ukrainian government. This amount includes a $500 million bilateral loan to help sustain Ukraine’s economic resiliency, as well as $1.45 billion through a Administered Account for Ukraine at the International Monetary Fund.
• In November, Canada issued a 5-year, $500 million Ukraine Sovereignty Bond with equivalent proceeds being channeled to Ukraine through the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Administered Account. The funds will assist the Government of Ukraine so it can continue to provide essential services to Ukrainians this winter, such as pensions, the purchasing of fuel, and restoring energy infrastructure.
• Canada has undertaken significant efforts to combat Russian disinformation, including improving public awareness and debunking myths, as well as providing $13.4 million to the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (RMM) to counter disinformation. The Rapid Response Mechanism has enabled real-time information sharing and collaboration with respect to the Russia-Ukraine crisis and is ramping up engagement with social media platforms and civil society organizations to address Russian disinformation with greater coherence.
• Since the invasion, the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs) has scaled up our security and stabilization programming in Ukraine, and has committed to support over $81 million in new programming. This includes targeted support to Ukrainian civil society and human rights organizations, providing support to Ukraine’s security sector, scaling up mine action efforts, monitoring and documenting human rights violations, countering disinformation, and advancing accountability efforts.
• Canada has committed an additional $96 million in development assistance to support the resilience of Ukraine's government institutions and civil society organizations; victims of sexual and gender-based violence; and food security efforts, including providing essential grain storage solutions.
• In March 2022, Canada, along with several other member states, referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC), due to allegations of international crimes in Ukraine by Russian forces, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
• Since February 2022, Canada has imposed sanctions 1517 individuals and 312 entities in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
• Canada announced two new immigration streams for Ukrainians coming to Canada – the Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (temporary) and an expedited path for permanent residency through a new family sponsorship program (permanent) - and $707.2 million allocated to welcome those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
• Canada’s three federal chartered flights, which landed in Winnipeg, Montreal, and Halifax, carried over 950 Ukrainians fleeing the war.

Ukraine Humanitarian Response

• The ongoing humanitarian impact of the conflict in Ukraine remains a concern for Canada.
• There is a serious need for humanitarian access on and near both sides of active front lines, where humanitarian needs are currently the most severe and populations are hardest to reach.
• In 2022-23, Canada allocated $320 million in humanitarian assistance to UN, Red Cross and non-governmental organizations in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

Supplementary Messages

• Humanitarian partners continue to deliver life saving aid where most needed. As of February 2023, they had reached over 15.8 million people with life-saving assistance, food, water, shelter and basic health services in Ukraine the onset of the invasion.

Update

Budget 2023, released on March 28, 2023, included $84.8 million to fund exceptional international assistance support to Ukraine from internal ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ reference levels in 2023-24, including $32.5 million for humanitarian assistance. These funds will be sourced from the department’s reference levels.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Canada’s $320 million commitment for humanitarian assistance in 2022 has been fully allocated and disbursed to experienced Red Cross, UN, and NGO partners to provide life-saving aid to those affected by conflict inside Ukraine and those fleeing to neighboring countries.

Background

The Ukraine conflict has caused the world’s fastest growing displacement crisis since World War II, with over 13 million people initially uprooted in less than two months. Currently, over a quarter of Ukraine’s population have fled their homes, including more than 5.6 million people now estimated to be internally displaced and over 4.9 million Ukrainian refugees registered for Temporary Protection or similar national protection schemes in Europe, most of them women and children. Nearly two-thirds of the children in Ukraine have been displaced.

Humanitarian needs in Ukraine continue to be significant. The 2023 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) indicates a need for US $3.9 billion to support 9.4 million people with humanitarian assistance this year. Priority needs result largely from attacks on energy and shelter infrastructure, which hampers access to water, food, health care, transportation, telecommunications, and other essential services. The war is impacting women and men in different ways and is exacerbating pre-existing inequalities.

Since the beginning of hostilities on February 24^th, humanitarian partners have worked intensively to increase the scale and scope of their operations in Ukraine. The humanitarian response is assisting more people every week. As of February 2023, the UN and humanitarian partners have reached over 15.8 million people across Ukraine.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Impact on Global Food Security

• The Russian invasion of Ukraine was a major shock to an already strained food system resulting in record-setting food, fuel, and fertilizer prices.

• Canada is supportive of efforts to mitigate export shortfalls from Ukraine due to the invasion, including the EU Solidarity Lanes, the Black Sea Grain Initiative and Grains from Ukraine.

• Canada has responded with record levels of humanitarian food and nutrition assistance, and provides development assistance to address root causes of hunger and malnutrition.

Supplementary Messages

• Responsive on Russian disinformation: Canadian sanctions against Russia do not target food or fertilizer

Update

• On March 18, the UN Secretary-General confirmed the automatic renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative with no changes to the agreement. Although Russia agreed, it unilaterally claimed the extension period would be cut in half to 60 days.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• 828 million people are estimated to be facing hunger. 43 million people are at the brink of famine – nearly 1 million facing catastrophic conditions concentrated in: Burkina Faso, Haiti, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen.
• The FAO Food Price Index in February 2023 was down 0.6% from January, continuing the downward trend for the eleventh consecutive month. The index has fallen 18.7% from the peak it reached in March 2022, but remains significantly above pre-pandemic levels and domestic food price inflation remains high (above 5 percent) in almost all low and middle income countries, with many experiencing double-digit inflation.
• Fertilizer prices continued to fall in February, but remain high and volatile. Across Africa, it is estimated that fertilizer use declined by 25% in 2022 largely due to reduced affordability.

Background

The food crisis is expected to worsen as agricultural productivity declines, driven largely by reduced fertilizer affordability, alongside conflict and extreme weather events. Existing gender inequalities lead to women and girls eating least and last, disproportionately deepening their hunger, malnutrition and poverty rates. Russia is weaponizing food and energy issues, spreading disinformation that Western sanctions are to blame, and bartering for sanction relief while imposing its own export restrictions.

In 2022, Canada has allocated a record amount of more than $650 million for humanitarian food and nutrition assistance. Canada also continues to support developing countries’ agriculture and food systems programming, disbursing $600 million in projects and programs in fiscal year 2021-2022.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative facilitates shipments of Ukrainian grain, fertilizer and foodstuff from three ports in the Black Sea and has helped to stabilize spiraling global food prices. This also enables humanitarian shipments under Grains from Ukraine. The EU launched their Solidarity Lanes in May 2022 to enable Ukrainian exports and imports of any commodity via alternative routes through land, water and rail.

How Canada’s Development Assistance is Supporting Emerging Needs in Ukraine

• Canada has adjusted its development programming in response to the war in Ukraine, by providing flexibility to existing partners to allow them to quickly shift project activities to address immediate needs, protect previous development gains, and mitigate the impact of the invasion on vulnerable populations.
• Canada is providing substantive and meaningful support to Ukraine, to strengthen the resilience of government institutions and civil society, provide livelihoods, support victims of sexual and gender-based violence, and support food security efforts in Ukraine.
• Canada is deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, especially as critical energy infrastructure continues to be targeted, and the impacts of the war are felt across Ukraine, particularly in areas of food security, human rights, gender equality, and the environment.

Supplementary Messages

• While our focus remains on addressing urgent needs in Ukraine, Canada is committed to supporting Ukraine in the long-term, ensuring recovery and reconstruction and long-term prosperity of Ukrainians is a priority for Canada.
• Since 2022, Canada has committed an additional $96 million in development assistance funding to Ukraine to address emerging priorities. This includes: $35 million to support the resilience of affected communities as well as Ukraine’s government institutions and civil society organizations; $7 million to the United Nations Population Fund to support victims of sexual and gender-based violence; $2 million for the completion of a dairy processing plant in western Ukraine; and $52 million to respond to Ukraine’s urgent need to increase grain storage capacity and agro-lab equipment needs.
• This support builds on over $1.48 billion in international assistance support that Canada has provided to Ukraine since 1991.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• Canada remains steadfast in support of civil society and women’s rights organizations, which have been crucial in responding to emerging needs in Ukraine; Canada is supporting rapid response sub-grants, civic-activist hubs and critical evacuation and emergency response.
• Canada is funding development projects that support the economic empowerment, livelihoods and resilience of individual Ukrainians, including through entrepreneurship and employment skills training, livelihood and small-business grants, and supporting the economic integration of internally displaced in host communities.
• Canadian development partners continue to work closely alongside various government institutions to provide a wide range of assistance to support the stability and functionality of and coordination between local, regional and national governments in Ukraine. For example, a Canadian development partner recently signed a memorandum of cooperation with Ukraine’s Ministry of Restoration to support Ukraine’s reform and recovery efforts.
• Canada funds projects that support the most vulnerable, which includes initiatives focused on human-trafficking prevention, psychosocial support for women and girls and LGBTQI+ communities, as well as support for disabled persons.
• Canada is funding projects that are assisting local farmers and agricultural co-operatives, including a $52 million contribution to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to provide essential temporary grain storage equipment for Ukrainian farmers.
• Canada continues to actively engage in promoting greater coordination and communication between the Government of Ukraine, humanitarian actors and civil society. Canada will also remain a key player in coordination as the international community considers recovery and reconstruction efforts.
• Canada’s support to Ukraine is aligned with the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) and focusses on three Action Areas: 1) Inclusive Governance; 2) Growth that Works for Everyone; 3) Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls.

Canada’s Support for Women and Girls in Ukraine

• Canada is prioritizing support to women and girls, to address needs related to sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking, and challenges surrounding sexual and reproductive health rights.
• Women have played an instrumental role in meeting the emerging needs of Ukrainians, especially of the most vulnerable, all the while carrying the burden of emergency support and recovery in their communities and homes.
• From humanitarian planning and coordination, to recovery and reconstruction, women need to be actively included and involved at the national, regional, local and community levels.

Supplementary Messages

• Canada will continue to provide steadfast support to address the needs of women and girls in Ukraine, and ensure they are empowered as agents of change.
• Canada is deeply concerned by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, particularly as women and children are the majority of those displaced and at increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), conflict-related sexual violence and human trafficking.
• Canada is a strong advocate and supporter for women’s empowerment and women’s political leadership; we encourage the inclusion of female voices at all levels of decision making, including in any eventual peace process.
• Women activists and leaders in Ukraine have been and continue to be at the forefront of the humanitarian and emergency response in the face of the Russian military invasion.

Supporting Facts and Figures

• All support to Ukraine from the Government of Canada is aligned with the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) and is reviewed from a Gender-Based Analysis-Plus (GBA+) This ensures that consideration of how support affects diverse groups of women, men, and non-binary people is considered and integrated in policies, programs and initiatives based on evidence.

Bilateral Development Assistance:

• Since 2022, Canada has allocated an additional $96 million in development assistance funding this year to address emerging priorities, including supporting victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), as well as the resilience of government institutions and civil society, to help meet the needs of Ukrainians, in particular women, girls and vulnerable groups.
• Canada understands the importance of gender-responsive, and trauma-informed mental health support to all of those impacted by this invasion. Canada is assisting those impacted by SGBV by providing survivor-centred psychosocial support.
• Canada doubled its support to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), for a total of $14 million, to support those impacted by SGBV and to ensure that needs for sexual and reproductive health services are met in Ukraine. This includes actively working to ensure SGBV survivors and people at risk across Ukraine are provided with quality services including mobile psychosocial support teams, safe spaces, and sexual and reproductive health services delivery points.
• This complements existing development initiatives that continue to provide support to Ukraine including human trafficking prevention, psychosocial support for women and girls, and gender-based conflict analysis and data collection.
• Canada plays a leading role in defending spaces for civil society, including for feminist voices. Canada is supporting the resilience of women’s rights organizations and other civil society organizations across Ukraine, who are integral to addressing urgent needs, combatting disinformation, protecting development gains in Ukraine and working towards inclusive recovery objectives; Canada is supporting rapid response sub-grants, civic-activist hubs and forums and trainings on feminist capacity building.

Humanitarian Assistance:

• Since January 2022, Canada has allocated $320 million to support the humanitarian response in Ukraine and other impacted countries in the region by providing funding to an established international humanitarian response system made up of UN agencies, the Red Cross Movement, and experienced non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• Canada is providing un-earmarked humanitarian assistance to organizations to address urgent health needs, including sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH), and to respond to gender-based violence.

Peace and Stabilization Operations Program; Women, Peace and Security

• Canada, through the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs) is providing over $32 million this fiscal year in support of programming to advance security, stabilization and human rights priorities in Ukraine. A significant focus within this support is on advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in Ukraine as well as advancing accountability for conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
• Since 2021, Canada has supported the Ukrainian Women’s Foundation with $1M in funding to advance the implementation of Ukraine’s 2^nd National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and support its revision in response to the new challenges brought by the Russia’s full-scale invasion.
• Canada has provided over $9.7 million to experienced partners to advance accountability for human rights violations in Ukraine, with a strong focus on cases of conflict-related sexual violence. Partners include the International Criminal Court, Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice, and Justice Rapid Response.

Canadian Support to Ukraine Cheat Sheet

Budget 2023:

1. Provides Ukraine with an additional loan of $2.4 billion for 2023, which has been provided via the IMF Administered Account for Ukraine.
2. Provides $200 million in 2022-23 to the Department of National Defense for donations of existing Canadian Armed Forces military equipment to Ukraine, including eight previously announced Leopard 2 main battle tanks.
3. To support the extension of the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel, the government has committed an additional $171.4 million over three years, starting in 2022-23.
4. Announces that $84.8 million in 2023-24 will be allocated by ¶¶ÒùÊÓƵ to provide targeted support to Ukraine for humanitarian assistance, mental health support, demining, agriculture, and other priority areas. All funds would be sourced from existing departmental resources.

Response by the Numbers

From January 2022 to March 2023, Canada has committed over $8 billion in multifaceted support, including commitments from Budget 2023.

This funding is in addition to previously-announced support:

Humanitarian Assistance

1. Canada is meeting urgent needs in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
2. Canada’s support has enabled the deployment of humanitarian and logistics experts to the UN agencies.
3. Canada’s humanitarian assistance partners are providing emergency health services, support to displaced populations, and essential life-saving services such as shelter, water and sanitation, and food.
4. Canada has sent relief items from its national emergency stockpiles.
5. Donations by individual Canadians to the Canadian Red Cross have been matched by the Government of Canada.
6. Canada has facilitated flights of essential relief supplies to support the response in Ukraine as well as neighbouring countries.
7. Canada allocated funding to the International Organization for Migration to procure and distribute generators to critical facilities in Ukraine.

Security and Stabilization Support

Canada is providing a range of security and stabilization support to Ukraine, seeking to enhance Ukrainian resilience and resistance. This includes:

1. Support to Ukrainian security sector institutions;
2. Advancing accountability, including by filing a joint declaration of intervention with the Netherlands in Ukraine’s case against Russia at the International Court of Justice, as well as supporting investigations by the International Criminal Court, the Commission of Inquiry established by the UN Human Rights Council, the OSCE Moscow Mechanism and Ukraine’s domestic criminal justice system;
3. Providing targeted support to Ukrainian civil society organizations, women’s groups, and media;
4. Enhancing the capacity of the Ukrainian government and organizations to counter disinformation; and,
5. Supporting mine action, including the clearance of unexploded ordnance.
6. Canada has also supported technical visits by the International Atomic Energy Agency to assess the situation at Ukrainian nuclear facilities.
7. Canada has also contributed project funding to partner organizations for:
8. Police service trust, accountability and resilience;
9. Strengthening prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine;
10. Rescue and resilience for Ukrainian civil society;
11. Integrating international standards to address CRSV in Ukraine;
12. Promoting access to criminal justice in Ukraine;
13. Building capacity and capability of the Ukrainian humanitarian demining institutions;
14. Provision of demining equipment to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine;
15. Assistance in addressing missing and disappeared persons from the ongoing war in Ukraine;
16. Justice and accountability for international crimes through an inclusive and gender-responsive approach;
17. Accountability for sexual and gender-based violence: sustaining momentum to end impunity; and
18. Countering chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats

$320m

in humanitarian assistance committed including $93m to food security

376,000

essential relief items such as blankets, mattresses, etc.

20 flights

delivering relief supplies

Over $81m for security and stabilization initiatives, including demining

Development Assistance

1. Canada increased development assistance funding to support the resilience of Ukraine's government institutions and civil society organizations to meet the needs of Ukrainians, in particular women and vulnerable groups. This includes:

• Critical assistance to local farmers and agricultural co-operatives
• Support to civil society and women’s rights organizations
• medical equipment for hospitals and municipal clinics
• Psychosocial services and safe spaces for women and girls impacted by sexual and gender- based violence (SGBV)
• Support to the Government of Ukraine in strategic communication and countering disinformation
• Provision of livelihood and small business grants and employment and entrepreneurship training for women and vulnerable groups.

2. Canada has provided funding to UNESCO to protect Ukraine’s cultural and heritage sites.

Economic Assistance

3. This year Canada has fully disbursed loans to Ukraine worth a total of $1.95 billion to help meet the Ukrainian government’s balance of payments and budgetary needs. Of this amount, $1.45 billion was channeled through the IMF Administered Account for Ukraine, the creation of which was championed by Canada.
4. Canada has also issued a Ukraine Sovereignty Bond. The proceeds from this bond were sent to Ukraine in the form of a loan through the IMF Administered Account.
5. Canada has provided a loan guarantee to enable a EUR 300 million European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) loan to Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-owned gas company, to help keep the heat and lights on in Ukraine this winter.
6. Canada has temporarily removed tariffs on imports from Ukraine for one year.
7. Canada is providing $115 million in funding collected through customs tariffs on imports from Russia and Belarus to Ukraine through the World Bank’s Ukraine Multi-Donor Trust Fund to help repair Kyiv’s Power Grid.
8. Canada and other official creditors to Ukraine agreed to provide a coordinated suspension of debt service due by Ukraine from August 2022, until the end of 2023, with the possibility of an additional year extension.

Response by the Numbers

$44m in development assistance

$52m

for grain storage equipment

10 shelters

8 crisis rooms (SGBV)

$4.8m

to protect heritage sites

$1.95b

in direct financial assistance

$500m

through Ukraine Sovereignty Bond

$50m

loan guarantee through European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Nearly 35k

Military and

Military Assistance

1. Canada has extended and expanded the Canadian Armed Forces Operation (CAF) UNIFIER, which has supported the training of the Security Forces of Ukraine.
2. Canada has provided non-lethal military equipment (helmets, body armor, gas masks, night vision gear, winter clothing, etc.)
3. Canada has provided lethal military equipment (guns, pistols, rifles, ammunition, light-anti armor weapons, grenades, M777 howitzers, drone cameras, armored combat support vehicles, etc.)
4. Canada has provided funding to buy high-resolution modern satellite imagery.
5. Canada sent additional military personnel to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defense in Europe.
6. Under Operation UNIFIER, Canada has deployed CAF personnel to the UK and to Poland to train new recruits from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7. Canada is purchasing a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) and associated munitions from the US to donate to Ukraine.
8. Canada is providing 200 Canadian-manufactured Armored Personnel Carriers to allow for the safe transport of personnel and equipment, and medical evacuations.
9. Canada will supply Ukraine with four Leopard 2 main battle tanks from the CAF inventory.

Special Immigration and Support Measures

10. Canada created Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel that allows an unlimited number of Ukrainians to stay in Canada temporarily and work or study.
11. Canada waived fees for travel and immigration documents.
12. Canada is providing temporary support services once Ukrainians arrive in Canada including short-term income support, temporary accommodations, and services to help settle into communities.
13. Three targeted federal charter flights with Ukrainians arrived in Canada.

Security Forces of Ukraine trained

Over $1.2b committed or delivered

in military assistance

500

additional personnel to NATO

up to 225

personnel to the UK

(Operation UNIFIER)

Over $1B

for new immigration measures

Over 540k

visas issued

Over 150k

Ukrainians arrived in Canada